The Psychopath

Hey!

No!

No!

No!

No!

No!

Gustavo, I still can get no answer from Mr. Klermer.

I'll try myself, Mary.

Our things seem better than usual. A most delightful evening.

I'm worried about Klermer.

He hasn't missed one of these weekly sessions for years.

Oh, I'm quite sure he'll find some simple explanation.

He telephoned me earlier today.

Said he had something he wanted to discuss with me after tonight's session.

Well, I guess I better be running along now.

Thank you very much for your hospitality, Mr. Loftis.

Oh, not at all, sir.

Uh, I was hoping we might get a chance to talk tonight.

On evenings like these, I'm afraid I prefer chamber music to conversation.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight, Mr. Loftis.

Oh, there's still no reply from Mr. Klermer, father.

I've got an idea your father doesn't like me.

Oh, he'll warm up once he gets to know you.

Well, let's hope he warms up before we're married.

Thank you, Mary.

Thank you.

Well, I'll see you tomorrow.

Is Mr. Saville in?

I'm Detective Inspector Holloway.

You think I can see him for a moment?

Yes, come in, Inspector.

Reinhart Klermer dead.

There's no doubt about the identification.

His body was discovered in this alley

shortly after 8 o'clock tonight.

Well, from...

from what you say, it sounds like a hit and run accident.

Well, hardly an accident, Mr. Loftis.

That car must have...

gone backwards and forwards over his body...

half a dozen times.

How did you know he was coming here, Inspector?

His landlady told us.

Um, he was carrying his violin case with him.

Mr. Roth, might I ask you what you were doing at 8 o'clock this evening?

L- a a

I had just come home from work.

The rain chills me to the bone and my wife made me take a hot bath.

But it...

It didn't help.

- Bless you. - Thank you.

And you, Mr. Laville?

I was not at home earlier this evening.

- Ah? - There's a pub called The Blue Unicorn.

I stopped by there for a drink on my way here.

At the time of the murder, I was there.

I see.

At the time of the murder, you said?

Yes.

8 o'clock?

Mmm.

And you, sir'?

Me?

I've, um...

I've got a witness.

A policeman on the Great West Road.

Oh.

Contravening our traffic regulations, huh?

Speeding, was it'?

Yeah, but uh, note the time.

Oh, I noted the time, Mr. Loftis.

8 o'clock.

Is this really necessary, Inspector? Mr. Klermer was our friend.

In that case your information may be very helpful...

in discovering who was his enemy.

He was a solicitor, was he not'?

Yes, yes, I was one of his clients. He handled my affairs for many years.

Where were you this evening, Ms. Saville.

Here.

In the house.

A room guard?

No.

And you, sir'?

I went out...

for a while.

But, for your information, Inspector, since my heart attack a year ago

I'm not allowed to drive a car. I went for a walk.

I was back home again by 8 o'clock. Mary will tell you. Mary?

The hall clock was striking just when Mr. Saville came in.

It was exactly 8 o'clock.

Will that be all, Inspector?

Oh, yes.

No more questions.

Thank you for your cooperation.

There's just one other thing.

It's quite possible that all of you later on will have to make a

formal statement.

But, what for'? You know where we were at 8 o'clock.

That's true.

Unfortunately, 8 o'clock was the time when

Klermer's body was discovered.

The medical report shows that the time of death...

was around 7.

Goodnight.

And God bless you.

We picked up the car this morning.

The lab checked on the tire treads.

What about the owner?

He won't be much use to us.

He's dead.

Dead?

Died on the operating table yesterday afternoon.

The car was pinched from the hospital car park.

You're not safe anywhere nowadays.

Pity.

I'm just performing an operation, myself.

Who's the patient?

Your old friend.

The late, lamented Klermer.

He's a bit of a mess.

You should have seen the original.

We've already run a few tests.

Two fingerprints.

- The clothing is all hand sewn, of course. - Mmhmm.

Domestic wool.

Could have come from any mill.

Hey, look at this, sir.

Molding wax with Klermer's features painted on.

Someone substituted a whole new head.

But the body is ordinary enough.

The manufacturer's imprint is usually right here.

Scraped off'?

Yes.

You would say that that body is a common mold?

I bet a thousand shops carry them in stock.

Well, you've learned all you can from that stuff.

Yes, I think so.

Put it together again, will you?

I shall want it first thing in the morning.

Looks like another case of looking for a needle in a hay stack, sir.

That doll is our needle.

There's loads of hay stacks.

You evidently haven't read the report on our friends?

Oh, nothing there, sir.

Loftis is an American medial student.

Ledoux is a sculptor.

Roth works in the Dutch Embassy.

Saville is retired.

And his daughter, Louise, she's a designer.

Yes.

She designs dolls.

She works in a toy shop.

The face has been remodeled, of course.

But, we want to trace the manufacturers of the doll's body.

I thought Ms. Saville would recognize the make.

She couldn't.

But, she thought that you might.

Oh, yes, this is the culprit.

As I thought.

You see, it's notjust that they're the same size,

but if you notice the hands you'll see that they're are absolutely identical.

Do you stock many of those?

Oh no, sir.

We discontinued this line a year ago.

I'm afraid there isn't much call for this sort of thing now, you see.

Today, it's all bombs and rocket ships.

Aggressive plastic in rather vindictive colors.

Personally, I never want to sell anything you couldn't cuddle.

Quite.

When did you last sell any of these.

Last'? Um...

Oh, dear, my memory is beginning to positvely crumble.

- Uh, I should have to look that up. - I've already asked you to look it up.

I found it.

It was a couple of months ago.

Oh, there it is, yes, exactly two months ago. Yeah, six dolls.

Six?

All delivered to the same address.

14 Ann Street, Mrs. Hedwig Von Sturm.

14 Ann Street. Hmm.

Thank you very much, indeed, sir.

Come in.

I'm over here.

Um, Mrs. Von Sturm?

Yes?

I'm Detective Inspector Holloway.

Police.

Yes.

I wondered if I might have a word with you?

Of course. I shall just close the door.

I can manage, thank you.

Are you all alone here, Mrs. Von Sturm?

I am never alone.

Children, we have a visitor.

This is Inspector Holloway.

We were just having tea.

Weren't we, mein kinder?

Will you join us'?

Oh.

No, thank you very much.